The turnover of new ways to get fit and toned is incessant. Everyday there is some new way to lose weight and get in shape! I know I for one have a love/hate relationship with working out – I’m either uber Gym Bunny bouncing towards the next workout or I am Couch Potato slouching towards the next…potato based snack?! Fitness fads come and go but I was looking for something that would easily incorporate into my daily routine, quickly whilst ticking numerous “fitness boxes” on the go. Enter the Shakeweight Roll! In the latest of in our “New Year. Fresh Start” series, click this way and find out if I managed to shake, rattle and roll my way to fitter me…

Numerous were the reasons for me to shape up this year. Firstly I had promised myself that v.2016 Leigh would regularly work out in some form or another, no matter what, each day. As some of my fellow 30s club members may know, it is HARDER to be as svelte and toned as your spritely 20s self. Secondly, I had the impending joy and doom of facing a bikini in the offing with a Spanish holibobs on the horizon (If you are after some serious wanderlust and some damn fine bikinis check out our latest “Come Away With Me: Spain” post by clicking here), I needed to get my ass (and abs and waist and thighs and arms) in gear…and in serious shape. I also had my friend’s wedding around this time too and wanted to feel extremely sassy and slinky in my bridesmaid’s gown. Thirdly, I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could stick to something! I like easy, I like quick and I like results that I can see…otherwise I can give up, switching to another exercise method quickly or returning to old favourites (hello lunges my old friend, I’ve come to squat with you again) …and inevitably, I get bored. And thus, the circle of fit/unfit rolls around and around. But it was time to change! Say hello to the Shakeweight Roll fillies!

Now, my first encounter of the Shakeweight was in a rather cheeky fitness scene from Made In Chelsea which involved Binky and Cheska vigourously shaking their respective weights. And YES, I giggled at the thought of this as exercise equipment! But my laughter turned to joy when I got this little updated beauty and discovered its workout wonders. The Shakeweight Roll combines the original features of the old 2.5lbs of Shakeweight which tone your arms, but it has been upgraded with the genius of making it an ab roller as well! This means you can do multiple kinds of exercise with just one piece of equipment which doesn’t take up loads of space. It also doesn’t take up a lot of time! The Shakeweight Roll comes with a 12 point exercise plan with 12 different exercises that tone and target the whole of the body in 12 minutes making this the ultimate “get in, get out” multitasking workout tool. It also comes with a DVD to show you how to do the routine, as well as a blow-up stability cushion for all the floor-based exercises. I decided to start my programme the month leading up to my holiday/wedding extravaganza, aiming to commit to a 12 minute workout almost everyday to hit my fitness goals.

So was the journey to my self imposed fitness goals easy? Yes and no! Before starting this routine, PLEASE stretch and warm up your upper body. I found that my triceps and biceps burned using this as with the constant shaking of the weight in some of the exercises, your muscles become quite sore, especially the next day. However I loved that the exercises hit numerous areas at the same time, such as when doing squats whilst shaking the weight, I was engaging my arms and abs with the shaking whilst targeting thighs and derriere! Bonus! I also liked that the rolling exercises with the equipment were almost like Yoga and Pilates exercises that I love and that you could use it to stretch and strengthen your back. Also I loved that all the exercises engaged the abs which was my key area I wished to work on as I needed to whittle my waist. The 12 minutes were pretty intense I must admit and it is hard work, but it is a short amount of time and the benefits of HIIT workouts are widely reported.

Did I reach my fitness goals? YES! At the end of the month I fitted into shorts that I could barely do up beforehand, my waist was more defined, my shoulders and arms were much more toned and less “bingo-wingy”, while my thighs and bottom looked sleeker and tighter. I lost a couple of inches off my waist and I had dropped 7lbs. I accompanied this routine by eating cleanly, plus I did a Slimming Solutions Teatox for 2 of the weeks (read all about it here), so the results were an accumulation of everything. I targeted my goals through exercise, nutrition and making smart choices in the time I had and I think it definitely paid off.

Would I recommend the Shakeweight Roll? Yes I would! It’s great to slot in as part of your fitness routine alongside your regular methods of exercise, as it takes up minimum time and requires maximum effort, hitting numerous areas with one piece of equipment. If you are pushed for time or space at home, this could well be your ideal workout buddy.

Have you tried the Shakeweight Roll? What are your top fitness tips? As always, we would love to hear what you think in the “Comments” section below.

Until next time fillies,

Leigh at Fashion Du Jour LDN HQ x

P.S Pssssst…NEVER want to miss the latest FDJ LDN post? Why not subscribe to get them direct to your Inbox! Simply hit the button in the top right of the page or follow us on Bloglovin’ to never miss out again! Be sure to also check out our superly social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook too.